The
Making
of a 
"Give the cob a good pair of boots and a hat and she'll do fine." This old saying refers to how to maintain and protect the cob. A good pair of boots refers to a sturdy foundation which will protect the cob from constant expose to the moist ground. A hat refers to providing adequate protection to the cob surface. This can be achieved by either placing some sort of overhang to protect the cob from wind and harsh rains, or applying a protective plaster to the surface. In the picture below this cob house has eaves on the roof, and uses natural plasters to protect from rain. A rock foundation is also used to keep the cob off the ground.
This picture was taken from, http://www.harvestbuild.com/hoberecht.html